Fluid lifting device for wells



2 Sheets-Sheelt l E. AGRAY ET AL Filed March 3,

Nov. 24, 1931.

FLUID LIFTING DEVICE FOR WELLS 7588 z iw @niv A M il Nov. 24, 1931. E. GRAY ET AL FLUID LIFTING DEVICE FOR WELLS Filed March 5, 1927 2 sheets-,Sheet 2 Patented l UNITED sTArEs PAfnzN'lfv OFFICE ELLSWORTH GRAY .ANV'IIO` ROBERT A. MUELLER, 0F HOUSTON, TEXAS rLUjm LIFTING DEVICE ron. wnLLs Application led March 3', 1927. Serial No. 172,460.

Our invention relates to means for raising fluid from deep wells and has particular application to wells in which a certain amount of gas pressure is present in the producing 5 formation.`

In the production o-f oil from deep wells, it is usual to find the producing oil stratum also permeated by a certain amount of gas under pressure which accumulates in the bottom of the well and acts as a lifting means to4 raise the oil to the surface, causing the well to flow. The general experience is that the vwell will flow through the casing for a certain period until the gas pressure is reduced or until the pressure at the bottomof the well is e ual to or less'than the head of the oil standm in f the well, after which the well will not ow of its own accord until further gas pressure has accumulated, and if it does not accumulate rapidly, causing the flow by heads it will then be necessary to put a pump in the Well to raise the fluid to the surface.

' It is an object of our invention to rovide a structure which may be placed in t e well and adapted to emplo luld pressure of the gas in the well or simi ar pressure artificially produced to raise the oil from the well after it has ceased to flow of its own accord.

It is an object to provide an apparatus which can be economically constructed and installed in the well and which will utilize the fluid pressure in the well for raising the liquid therein to the surface in a most economical manner and without the use of the ordinary reciprocating pump.

-Our invention resides in the particular construction and arrangement of the parts making up the device and this will be more clearly understood from the description which follows.

Referring to the drawings herewith, Fig. 1 is a central vertical section throughthe upper end of the well casing showing our improvement installed therein. Fig. 2 isa similar section showing the lower portion of the well and our apparatus set therein. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is an assembly view, shown somewhat reduced, of the complete device 50 illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. Like numerals of referenceare employed to designate like parts in all the views.

In putting our invention into use, it is to be understood that the well in which the device is to be employed is equipped with the usual casing, indicated at 1, said casing having a shoe 2 on the lower end, the upper end of the casing being equipped with the casing head 3 having a threaded connection with the upper end thereof. Said casing head is equipped with a swed e nipple 4. in'which the diameter thereof is re uced, said nipple being internally threaded at 5 for attachment to the well tubing 6, said tubing being shown as of comparatively large diameter, although it is to be understoodv that it may be of any preferred diameter. The casing head has lateral openings therein threaded to receive pipe connections, and we have shown a pipe 7 se'- cured in one of these openings, sa1d pi e having a hand-operated valve 8 therein. n the opposite side of the casing head, the opening may be closed by the bull plug 9 or a pipe may be connected therein, as desired.

It is further to be understood that the well may be equipped with a strainer 10 of any desired construction, and above the strainer is connected a packer to close the space be tween the upper end of the strainer and the casing. We have shown the packer employing an inner mandrel or pipe 11 secured by a coupling to the strainer and having its upper portion formed witha downwardly inclined ratchet thread 12 thereon to engage vwith a setting sleeve 13, said sleeve being threaded on its interior to co-operate with the ratchet v thread upon the mandrel 11. Between the lower end of the setting sleeve and the strainer is placed a compressible packing material 14, which may be of canvas or rubber composition or any desired material, and it is understood that this packing may be compressed when the strainer is set by exerting a downward pressure upon the setting sleeve 13 to force the packing into longitudinally compressed position, thus expanding it laterally to fill the space between the mandrel 11 and the casing. The ratchet thread between the mandrel and setting sleeve prevents the up- I Cb ward movement of the setting sleeve thereafter. l

When the well is thus equipped, our invention may be employed at any time thereafter. `It is to be understood that the well may iow` of'its own accord as long as it will butwhen the pressure within the producing formation has decreased until it will no longer low of its own accord, our invention is introduced therein. Y I l 'It is the general object of our invention to provide means whereby the pressure of the gaseous iiuid in thewell may accumulate so as to exert suicient pressure to raise the liquid in the well. Our device includes a lower shoe which comprises a tubular member, the lower end of which is tapered and formed with a ring of softymetal or composition 16 which is of the proper diameter to rest upon the upper end of the packer mandrel 11 and to form therewith a seal, preventing the passrlge of liuid between the packer and the said s oe 15.

The upper end of the shoe is threaded for 25 .engagement within the lower end of a packer body 17. Y Said packer has an outer collar 18 at its lower end. the outer portion of which extends upwardly to include the lower end of a packing sleeve 19. This packing sleeve may zo be compressed against the collar 18 by means of a ring 20 at the upper end of the packing sleeve, said ring being secured to the. lower endv of a pressure accumulator 21, which is slidable over the outer face of the packer 35 body 17. The weight of the pipe and otherv apparatus above the accumulator. is suiicient to compress the packing to make a tight seal with the interior of the casing.

The accumulator 21 comprises a vshort pipe section having a central partition 22 extending across the same, closing the passage therethrough except for a somewhat`limited opening 23, the upper end of which is formed to receive a ball valve 24. 4

The upper end of the accumulator pipe is connected with a cup-shaped member 25,-

which is tapered upwardly and threaded on its interior toreceive a choker plug 26. Its

upper end is threadedon the exterior for connection by means of a couplingv 27.with'a length of tubing 28. The bottom of the eupshaped member 25 is provided with central opening 29 of smaller diameter than the ball valve 24 and adapted to receive and prev'ent the upward movement of the valve beyond this limit. Around the central opening 29 are a series of similar openings 30 to allow the passage of fluidtherethrough.

The choker plug-2.6 is cylindrical, except at its lower end where it is tapered downwardly; it has a central passage 31 therethrough for iiuid,rmaterial1y smaller than the valve opening 23.

The pipe section 28 may be of any desired length and at a. suitable distance above the choker the said pipe will be connected with a coupling 32, which has a diaphragm or partition 33 extending across the upper end of the pipe 28 and tending to close the same.

Below thepartition. are a series of radialv openings 34 which allow the uid `to pass outwardly from within the pipe 28. The upper end of the coupling 32 is connected with the tubing 28 which is threaded at its upperk end vfor attachment to the lower end' of a valve chamber 35.' This member comprises a short section of pipe having a central diaphragm or-partition 36 therein with a central passage therethrough adapted to be closed by the ball valve 37. Below the partition 36 the valve member has a series of openings 38 therein to allow the entrance of Huid to the tubing below the valve. A cup-shaped member 25 is threaded within the lupper end of the valve chamber similar in all particulars to the section 25 and answering the same purpose. The only point of difference being that the size is smaller 'in the upper section. The upper end of the member 25 is connected with the tubing 28 above bv means of a coupling 27 and a choker plug 26 is threaded within the upper end of amember 25', the passage 31 through said choker being smaller in diameter than the passage 31 in the stage below.

In the operation of this device,the gas within the formation will enter the strainer at the lower end thereof along with the oil or other liquid .entering the same. The gas and liquid will beheld in the lower end of the well by ythe valve closed' passage 23 until the pressure accumulates below the diaphragm 22 sufficient to force the lvalve 24 from its seat and and gas to pass through the opening 23 into the chamber above. It will there accumulate suiciently to force the liquid and gas through the choker passage 31 and upwardly into the tubing. When the pressure -below the valve 24 has been exhausted to the extent that it will no longer cause the flow of liquid and gas through the passage 24 will drop back,-closing the same until the pressure further accumulates. 1

The gaseous pressure 25 will be suilicient to cause a iiow through the constricted passage 31 of the choker until the gas pressure within the-,chamber has been nearly exhausted'. has dissipated suiciently, the flow of liquid through the choker passage will discontlnue. This operation may `be somewhat -intermlttent but at each time the gas below the valve 24 has accumulated suiciently to overcome the pressure above, more oil and gas wi be forced past the valve, causing a lift through the constricted passage 31 into the tubing above. It is to be understood that the use of the choker in the Huid passage allows the accumulation of gas in the cham- 23, the valve within the chamber'v When this pressure Y loo to cause a stream of liquid r :,ssaarc ber-below to occur` to such-an extent that above the `choker 26 will be discharged into* the space between'theV` tubing and thev casi m'ing until the-space above the-packer 19has the flow through the choker will continue where it would otherwise be quickly dislspated', due to the larger passage for the gasto bubble lthrough were the plug not The gasanaliquid within thembing 28 been filled tolthe level of the openings. 'The gas andliquid will then: issue from these openings 34 against the head of such liquid .as accumulates in the space within-thecasing. This discharge of fluid into the casing will be intermittent until it has been filled to the level of the openings 38 when itlwill casing until the valve 37 has been raised,

causing the'pressure of the gasto be exerted upon'vthe liquid andqcause it to-low upward- Y lv into the chamberj and from thence through the choker opening l31 This will continue until the pressure'belowfthe choker 31 has been so far exhausted as to ,equal the, head of the liquid above. T hevalve 37 will then close and no further iiow will occur until the pressure has again accumulated in the manner described. When further How occurs, the liquid and gas may issue from the upper end of the tubing 28 above the casing head and mav be from thence conducted to any tank for storage or use.

It will be obvious that our construction allows the accumulation of gas in the separate stages of the apparatus so as to cause a How of the gas and oil through the constricted passages in the choker above the valve as long as the pressure is strong enough, but when the pressure is relieved. the valves take up the load of the head of liquid in the apparatus until sulhcient gas pressure has accumulated to force further liquid past the valves and through the choker openings.

In case the gas pressure becomes reduced to such an extent that the flow is not in such volume as to make it profitable to operate the well, the flow of liquid can be accelerated by the introduction of air or gas under pressure through the pipe 8. Any source of air under pressure may be connected with said pipe and when the valve 8 has been opened the air or gas under pressure may be introduced into the casing so as to exert a pressure upon the liquid above the openings 38 in the upper stage and force the same downwardly with suiicient pressure to force the liquid past the valve 37 and upwardly to theI surface. \When the liquid above theopenings 38 has been thus exhausted, the gaseous fluid will then pass the valve and the ilow of liquid will stop, thus makingit necessary to discontinue the pressure through the line 7 until the gas pressure in the well has raised the liquid above the levelof the openings 38, after which the process may be again 'repeated.

The use of this structure will allow the well to be operated for long periods after it would otherwise have necessitated the use of pumps. Thedevice will be cheaper in operation 'than ,would the usual pumps and it will notfb subjectto wear vin the manner of theordin'ary'freciprocating pump employed in wells of'this nature. It will, therefore, be

economical to operate and 'capable of use for long periodsof'time without repair. The

advantages of this sort of structure will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

LHaving thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, a well casing, a tubing string in said casing, a packing member on said tubing string adapted to make a fluid tight seal with said casing, `apartition across said tubing having an upwardly opening valve passage therein, a valve therein, a pressure accumulator chamber above said valve and a choker plug in said rchamber having a constricted passage upwardly therethrough materially smaller than the passage through said string.

2. In a device of the character described, a well casing, a tubing string in said casing, a packing member on said tubing string adapted to make a fluid tight seal with said casing, a partition across said tubing having an upwardly opening valve passage therein, a valve therein, a chamber above said vaive and a choker plug in said chamber having a constricted passage upwardly therethrough, and means in said tubing above said choker to divert the Huid from said tubing to the interior of said casing, and a valve controlled outlet. through said string above said means.

3. In a device of the character described, a well casing, a tubing string therein, a seal between said tubing string and casing adjacent the lower end thereof, pressure chambers arranged in stages in said tubing, valves controlling the entrance of fluid thereto, and a choker plug having a constricted passage therethrough above each said chamber in the manner described.

4. In a device of the character described, a well casing, a tubing string therein, a seal between said'tubing string and casing adjacent the lower end thereof, pressure chambers arranged in stages in said tubing, valves controlling the entrance of Huid thereto, a choker plug having a constricted passage there-l -below' one of said valves.

5. In a device of the character described, a"

.wellI casing, a tubing string therein, al seal' between said tubing string and casingv adjacent the lower end thereof, pressure chambers arranged in stages in said tubing valves controlling the entrance of iuid thereto, and a choker plug above each of said valves, said plugs being tapered downwardly and havin a constricted axial opening therethrough o smaller diameter than said valves, for the y purpose describe 6. In a device of the character described, a

casing, a tubing string therein, means to prevent upward passage of fluid outside said string at the lower end thereof, a pressure accumulator in said string including a transverse partition having an upwardly openin valve therein, a pressure chamber above sai valve, and a downwardly tapered choker plug at the upper end of said chamber, said plug having a Huid passage of small diameter therethrough.

In testimony whereof we hereunto ax our signatures this 24th' day of February, A. D.

ELLSWORTH GRAY. ROBERT `A. MUELLER. 

